Grain cleaning mechanism



N 24, 1942.. J. T. ASHTON E'I'AL 2,303,249

" GRAIN CLEANING MECHANISM s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 6, 1940 INVENTORS. 77/, Cord BY 'C/zarZeJH/Vc M BM ATTORNEY.

Nov. 24, 1942. J. T. ASHTON ETAL GRAIN CLEANING MECHANISM Filed June 6, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS.

C/zaflea H JameaZQa/dom BY ATTORNEY.

Nov. 24, 1942. T, AsHTbN HAL 2,303,249

GRAIN CLEANING MECHANISM Filed June 6, 1940 s Sheets- Sheet s INVENTOR. I

Jzmaf 6267218272 BY C&arZeaP /Yg 20 @205,

' AT RNE Patented Nov. 24, 1942 GRAIN CLEANIN G DIECHANISM James T. Ashton and Charles Henry McCord, Battle Creek, Mich, assignors to Oliver Farm Equipment. Company, a corporation of Delaware Application June 6, 1940, Serial No. 339,148

4 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to combines, but more particularly to a novel and -improved construction of a gravity roller type grain cleaning mechanism which is capable of handling a variety of types of grains and seeds.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved gravity type roller feed grain cleaning mechanism which permits the employment of a blast of air from the single fan to pass above and between all of the rollers and beyond and under as well as through the chafier located adjacent the rear end of the cleaning mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved grain cleaning mechanism for combines and the like in which means are provided for simultaneously adjusting the rollers with respect to their cooperative shelves so that efiicient cleaning and separation of grains of difierent types and conditions may be accomplished.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved type of grain cleaning mechanism of the gravity roller feed type in which the rollers have reversely arranged peripheral ribs which effectively agitate and assist in spreading the grain evenly on the shelves and at the same time agitates the straw passing over the rollers so as to permit the grain to fall through the straw to the next succeeding shelf below.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved grain cleaning mechanism of the gravity roller feed type in which a series of horizontally disposed grain shelves have abutments or flanged fingers provided adjacent their rear ends which are adapted to cooperate with the rotating rollers in effectively separating and cleaning the grain from the chair and straw.

These and other objects are accomplished by providing a construction and an arrangement of the various parts in the manner hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross sectional view of our improved cleaning mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary and diagrammatic side elevational view of the threshing mechanism and associated parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed view of one of the bearing brackets showing the manner in which the rollers may be adjusted simultaneously with respect to their associated shelves;

' charged from the cylinder.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view showing the construction of the rollers;

Fig. 6 is a detailed cross sectional view taken on the line 66 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 is a detailed cross sectional view taken on the line 7-4 in Fig. 1.

In illustrating one form of our invention we have shown the same in connection with a fragmentary portion of a combine harvester which includes a casing or housing generally indicated by the reference character [0 which is in the form of a hood structure having oppositely disposedside walls extending longitudinally of the direction of travel of the machine and a top as shown at H formed integrally therewith. Th lower portion orside walls of this housing as shown at I2 is set inwardly with respect to the upper vertical wall portion of the main housing so that it is narrower in width than the upper portion thereof. Our improved cleaning mechanism is used in connection with the more or less conventional threshing mechanism diagrammatically shown in brokenlines in Fig. 3 of the drawings. This mechanism includes an upwardly inclined grain carrying elevating endless draper l3'which ex- .tends from the header or cutting and conveying mechanism (not shown) to a point adjacent a rotary beater as shown at 14. Located adjacent to and rearwardly of the delivery end of the endless apron l3 and beater I4 is a cylinder l5. Extending around the lower portion of the cylinder l5 and spaced therefrom is a concave I6. Located rearwardly of the concave I6 is a deflector or grain check ll which is employed for the purpose of deflecting the grain in a direction towards our improved cleaning mechanism hereinafter described.

Located rearwardly of the cylinder and slightly above the same is a second revolving beater (8 which is employed for the purpose of checking the force of the threshed straw and grain dis- Located at a point below the second beater l8 and extending upwardly at an angle is an endless conveyor or raddle IQ of the slat type for conveying the straw iorward end onto a reciprocating grain pan 22.

.(See Fig. l of the drawings.) The grain pan 22 is inclined. slightly downwardly and rearwardly edge 31 and off the flange 38.

and has its forward end pivotally attached by means of pivoted arms 23 located on the opposite sides of the housing construction. These arms 23 are secured to a transverse shaft 24 which in turn is operatively driven in the manner hereinafter described. The grain pan 22 is provided with a front wall 24 and oppositely disposed side walls 25, the latter of which are secured to longitudinally extending and rearwardly projecting angle members 26. The rear ends of these angle members 26 are pivotally attached as shown at 21 to the upper ends of the lever arms 28. The lever arms 28 are pivotally attached to the opposite vertical side walls of the housing l2, as shown at 29. Secured at the rear end of the grain pan 22 and extending longitudinally and rearwardly therefrom are grate fingers or rods 30. Located below the delivery or rear end of the grain pan 22 is a horizontally disposed stationary cleaningshelf 3| which has its opposite flanged ends 32 secured to the opposite side walls |2 of the housing. The shelf 3| is provided with a plurality of spaced apart longitudinally extending teeth as shown at 33 so as to form in effect a comb. These teeth are formed by having a portion of themetal bent up at right angles so as to form in effect guides for the straw passing thereover and cooperate with the grooves and ribs in the rotating rollers in a manner hereinafter described.

Located at the forward end of the shelf 3| is an upwardlyand rearwardly projecting ledge or flange 34 which forms an obstruction or an abutment so as to permit the grain to pile on the shelf and spill over the forward edge by the movement and vibration of the machine. Located below the first shelf 3| and slightly rearwardly with respect thereto is a second substantially horizontally disposed shelf 35. The shelf 35 has a central hump or raised portion as shown at 35 so that approximately one half of the shelf inclines downwardly and forwardly from the hump while the other portion inclines downwardly and rearwardly with respect to the raised portion. Formed integrally with the shelf 35 on the forward edge thereof is an upwardly extending ridge or raised portion 31 which terminates in a downwardly and forwardly inclined flange 38. The ridge 3! forms an obstruction and permits the grain to pile on a shelf until such time as the pile becomes sufliciently high as to cause the grain to fall over the forward The rear edge of the shelf 35 is provided with a plurality of Iongitudinally extending teeth 39 which in effect forms a comb similar to that of the first shelf 3|. The shelf 35 is rigidly fixed to the opposite vertical side walls of the housing |2 by means of flanges 40 formed on the opposite ends thereof. Located below and slightly rearwardly of the second shelf 35 is a third substantially horizontal stationary shelf 4|. The shelf 4| is secured in place by flanges 42 which in turn are secured to the opposite side walls of the housing I2. The forward end of the shelf 4| is provided with a raised ridge 43 which terminates in a downwardly extending and forwardly inclined flange 44. The rearward end of the shelf 4| is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending fingers 45. These fingers 45 constitute a finely arranged comb and their rear ends terminate at the apex 46 of a divide member which has a downwardly and forwardly projecting flange 4! for deflecting the grain passing through the fingers 45 into the clean grain auger trough in the manner hereinafter described.

This divider also has a rearwardly and downwardly projecting inclined flange 48. This inclined flange 48 of the divider conveys the straw or unthreshed heads on to a reciprocating chaffer generally indicated by the reference character 49. The rear end of the reciprocating chafier 49 is actuated by and pivotally supported on downwardly extending lever arms 50 which are formed integrally with the lever arms 28 located at the opposite side of the housing. The lower ends of these arms 50 are pivotally attached to the opposite sides of the chaffer 49 through the medium of a pipe as shown at 5|. The forward end of the chaffer 49 is pivotally attached at the opposite sides of the housing by means of U-shaped links 52. The chaffer in this instance is of the adjustable type and comprises a plurality of pivoted vanes 53 which may be adjusted to vary the openings therein by an adjustable lever 54. The construction and operation of this type of chaffer is well understood in the art and it is believed that a more detailed description is not necessary.

One of the essential features of the present invention embodies a novel construction of rollers and their manner of mounting and simultaneous adjustment with respect to their cooperating shelves for effectively adjusting the cleaning mechanism in order to accommodate various types of grain being cleaned in the combine harvester. This mechanism includes two transversely extending revolving rollers 55 and 56 which have their axles positioned in substantially horizontal alignment with the respective shelves 3| and 35 and are adjustable with respect thereto for varying the space or opening between the rollers and the adjacent combs or teeth of these shelves. This adjustment permits a variation of the opening between the rollers and the teeth or combs of the respective shelves so that various types and sizes of grain may be permitted to fall through these openings to the next succeeding or lower shelf in the process of the cleaning operation. Each of these rollers are provided with uniformly spaced apart peripheral ribs forming grooves therebetween and correspond substantially with the number of teeth in each of the combs 35 and 45 of the respective shelves 3| and 35. The ribs 51 on each of the rolls are arranged at approximately 8 angle for half the circumference of the roller and then reverse at approximately the same angle for the other half of the circumference of the roll as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings. This reverse angular displacement of the ribs 51 afl'ord approximately a quarter of an inch movement laterally on each revolution of each of the rolls and therefore agitates as well as spreads the grain evenly on each of the shelves. The revolving rolls conveys the straw and other foreign substance rearwardly and by the lateral agitation allows the grain to fall through the straw onto the next succeeding lower shelf. Each of these rolls 55 and 55 have secured at their opposite ends, stub shafts 58 and 59 which are journaled in opposite bearing brackets generally indicated by the reference character 63. (See Fig. 4.) The bearing brackets 60 have bearing portions or barrels 6| formed in the opposite ends thereof in which these stub-shafts 58 and 59 are journaled. The bearing brackets 58 are provided with longitudinal slots 62 and 63 at points adjacent each of the ends of the brackets and are adapted to receive bolts 68' therein for securing the brackets to the outside surfaces of the vertical walls l2 of the lower housing. (See Fig. 3.) Secured to the outer ends of the stub-shaft 58 of'each of the rollers 55 and 56 are sprocket wheels 65 and 66 respectively. Trained about these sprocket wheels 65 and 66 is a drive chain The tension of the chain 6'! is regulated by an idler sprocket wheel 68 journaled on a strap 69 which in turn is secured to a central portion of one of the brackets 60 by means of a bolt 7!). Located below all of the shelvesSi, 35 and 4| is a converging bottom iformed by the inclined floors H and l2which terminate in a curved clean grain trough as shown at it. Mounted in the bottom of this clean grain trough 73.1.; a screw conveyor or auger a4 which in turn is secured to a shaft 15. This clean grain conveyor screw or auger conveys the grain laterally through suitable mechanism the grain is elevated to a storage tank in a manner well understood in the art. Positioned below the reciprocating chaffer 49 are converging or inclined floor members it and Ti which terminate in a curved trough 18. Located in the trough i3 is a return conveyor screw or auger 19 which is secured to'a shaft 80. This conveyor screw or auger 19 conveys the unthreshed heads or tailings which fall through the chaffer 49, laterally to an elevator from where it is returned to the cylinder to be rethreshed in a manner well understood in the art.

Another very essential feature of the invention involves the positioning of a fan and the associated grain cleaning mechanism so that a blast of air delivered by the fan not only passes above and below all of the shelves, but also above, below and through the reciprocating chaffer so as to more efficiently clean the grain during its descending operation from the grain pan to the bottom of the clean grain trough. This mechanism includes a substantially cylindrical fan housing 8| in which is eccentrically located a rotary fan generally indicated by the reference character 82. Communicating with the fan housing 8| and extending tangentially with respect thereto is a gradually enlarging air blast spout or conduit generally indicated by the reference character 33 which has its rear end in communication with the housin just below the reciprocating grain pan 22 and forwardly of each of the shelves 3|, 35 and 4| in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Summarizing the advantages and method of operation of our improved grain cleaning mechanism, it will be seen that as the grain is discharged from the forward end of the return board 2| after it has been passed through the threshing mechanism hereinbefore described, it falls upon the reciprocating grain pan 22 and is discharged from the rear end of the grain pan onto the first shelf 3|. During this operation, of course, the blasts of air separates and blows rearwardly the chaff or straw. As the grain piles on the shelf 3| a portion of the same will be discharged over the forward ledge 34 while another portion will be discharged through the opening between the roller 55 and the comb 33 on the next succeeding shelf 35.

It will be noted that the reverselycurved ribs 51 of the roller 55 will engage the have the clean grain discharged over the forward H I v 3 raised ledge31 into the clean grain trough or will be passed from the rear end between the adjacent roller 56 onto the next succeeding shelf 4|. On the shelf 4| the clean grain will pile up thereon and be discharged over the forward edge 43 or at the rear between the teeth or comb 45. In this connection it will be noted that as the straw lies upon each of the rollers 55 and 56 the rotation of the rollerswill convey the straw rearwardly where the blasts of air will effectively convey it out through the rear end of the cleaningmechanism. The tailings or unthreshed heads of grain will be permitted to fall through the vanes 53 of the chaifer 49 and the reciprocating action of the chaffer will discharge the straw rearwardly thereof while the blasts of air passing through the chaffer and at the rear end of the chaffer'will effectively assist in separating loose straw and chaff from the tailings or unthreshed heads falling through the chaffer.

Should the operator be desirous of adjusting the opening between the rollers and the cooper-' ating combs of the shelves 3| and 35, the bolts 60 of each of the bearing brackets 60 may be loosened so as to horizontally adjust these rollers with respect to their adjacent shelves so that various types of grain may be effectively cleaned in our improved cleaning mechanism.

It will, of course, be understood that if coarser grain such as soy beans are being cleaned, a substitute shelf for the lower shelf 4| may be made with a coarser comb to effectively secure proper separation when so desired.

From the above description it will be readily seen that we have not only provided an easily accessible grain cleaning mechanism which not only effectively cleans the grain, but have also provided a sensitive adjustment whereby a variety of types and sizes of grain may be more efficiently cleaned with little effort on the operators part.

While in the above specification we have disclosed one embodiment which our invention may assume in practice, it will of course be understood that the same is capable of modification and that modification may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

What we claim is our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A grain cleaning mechanism comprising a housing, a plurality of substantially horizontally disposed shelves arranged transversely with respect to said housing and in successive stepped relation with respect to each other, and peripherally ribbed rollers positioned in horizontal alignment with the rear ends of certain of said shelves, the ribs on said rollers being angularly disposed in one direction for half the circumference thereof and in a reverse direction for the other half of said circumference.

2. A grain cleaning mechanism for a thresher comprising a, housing, a plurality of substantially horizontally disposed and vertically spaced apart shelves secured to and within said housing, raised abutments formed on the forward edges of said shelves, spaced apart fingers formed on the rearward edges of said shelves, rotary rollers adjustably positioned adjacent the rear edges of certain of said shelves, said rollers having a plurality of spaced apart peripheral ribs, said ribs being angularly disposed in one direction for half the circumference and in a reversedirection for the other half of the circumference, and means for adjusting said rollers with respect to said shelves.

3. A grain cleaning mechanism for a thresher comprising, a housing, a plurality of substantially horizontally disposed and vertically spaced apart shelves secured to and within said housing, raised abutments formed on the forward edges of said shelves, spaced apart fingers formed on the rearward edges of said shelves, rotary rollers adjustably positioned adjacent the rear edges of certain of said shelves, said rollers having a, plurality of spaced apart peripheral ribs, said ribs being annularly disposed in one direction for half the circumference and in a reverse direction for the other half of the circumference, bearing brackets secured to the opposite sides of said housing in which said rollers are journaled, and means whereby said brackets may be adjusted for varying the openings between said rollers and said shelves.

4. A grain cleaning mechanism for a thresher comprising a housing, a plurality of substantially 20 horizontally disposed and vertically spaced apart shelves secured to and within said housing, raised abutments formed on the forward edges'of said shelves, spaced apart fingers formed on the rearward edges of said shelves, rotary rollers adjustably positioned adjacent the rear edges of certain of said shelves, said rollers having a plu rality of spaced apart peripheral ribs, said ribs being angularly disposed in one direction for half the circumference and in a reverse direction for the other half of the circumference,'means for adjusting said rollers with respect to said shelves, a reciprocating chafier mounted on said housing rearwardly of said shelves, and a single fan mounted below and forwardly of said shelves for delivering a blast of air above and below all of said shelves and through and below said chaffer.

JAMES T. ASHTON. CHARLES HENRY MoCORD. 

